April/May 2009 Newsletter
Hope College Department of
Communication | 257 Columbia
Ave. | Holland, MI 49423 | Phone:
616.395.7595 | Fax: 616.395.7937
Senior Spotlights: Communication Graduates
Reflect on Future Plans, Lessons Learned
By Chris Lewis, Hope Senior
During the past four years, several
Hope seniors have been working
towards their Bachelor of Arts degrees
in Communication, with various goals
in mind upon graduation. Bob Flavin,
Sonya Masghati, Dan Guy, Erin Fortner,
James Ralston, and Ayannah Abiade are
just six of Hope’s 182 Communication
majors with diverse life goals in mind. The
following conversation will provide an
in-depth look at each individual’s goals,
as well as knowledge they obtained from
their classes and extracurricular activities
while at Hope.
What are your plans upon graduation?
Bob Flavin: After graduation I will be
working at the camp I worked at for the
past two summers. I will be doing video
production work for them. After that I
hope to do one of two things. I am looking
at getting a job with a video production
company or I am also looking at going in
to the field of advertising and marketing.
My hopes are to stay within the Holland
and Grand Rapids area, but I am also
looking at jobs in Chicago.
Sonya Masghati: As of now, I plan on
heading back to Chicago! I am currently
job searching and in the interviewing
process. I am primarily interviewing for
positions in the public relations and
marketing industries, although I am
definitely keeping my options open.
Dan Guy: I am hoping to find a job in the
Traverse City area and live at home for
awhile. This is still up in the air because
I haven’t gotten a job yet. I could end up
anywhere!
Erin Fortner: Upon graduation, I will
be attending the University of Iowa
College of Law in Iowa City, Iowa to earn
a J.D. I also hope to apply for a Ph.D. in
Communication during my second year
of law school, so I can earn a joint J.D./
Ph.D degree.
James Ralston: I am still interviewing for
some different positions in the fields of
business, marketing, and client relations.
Once I graduate I hope to begin working
in one of those areas, as it looks like I
should have a few options, so I’ll hope
for the best. The most likely place where
I will work is at a marketing firm that I
Communication Students
Participate in
Undergraduate Research
Many communication majors spent time during the year
researching projects in the communication field. Their efforts
were displayed at the eighth annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance at Hope on March 27.
A total of eight communication majors were selected to present their work at the event.
One of the presenters from the communication department was Chris Lewis (Right). He displayed his research project entitled, “Baseball and the Display of Patriotism During
Times of Crisis.”
In addition to the Hope event, ten communication majors
were selected for the National Conference on Undergraduate
Research, which was held April 16-18 (see next page).
interned with during Chicago Semester
in Fall 2007.
Ayannah Abiade: Upon graduating from
Hope College, I hope to secure some type
of gainful employment! Currently, I am
in the interviewing process, but I am still
looking for that perfect job. I also plan on
getting married to the love of my life, and
fellow Hope College senior, Michael Mers,
in June.
Which Communication courses do you
believe have helped prepare you for the
future?
Bob Flavin: Many of the classes that I have
taken have prepared me for the future.
Since I am looking at working in video
production, all of the media production
classes that Professor Park teaches really
helped me get good groundwork in this
field. The TV studio production course
taught by Professor Korf has also helped
me work on skills that I would use if I
decide to work in news production.
Please see “Grads,” next page
Grads Take Lessons Learned With Them
Continued from previous page
Sonya
Masghati:
The
Public
Presentations class has been very helpful
to me in my other classes at Hope and
I think that it will continue to show its
benefits in professional settings. That
class taught me how to give a more
effective presentation, as well as feel
more comfortable with public speaking.
I also enjoyed Intercultural and Gender
Communications, which provided insight
into a variety of communication processes
and how to apply them in different social
and professional situations.
Dan Guy: One class that I really enjoyed
was Public Presentations. I learned
so much from this class and always
recommend it to anyone I talk to. No
matter what field you are in, this class will
help you. I also think that Interpersonal
Communication is a great class and is
very relatable to everyone who takes it.
Erin Fortner: I am grateful for every
course I’ve taken in the Communication
Department.
The
Communication
professors and their curriculums have
enabled me to flourish as an undergraduate
student both academically and personally.
The communication courses I have taken
have helped better prepare me for my
future plans of law school and graduate
school.
James Ralston: Each of the Communication
courses have offered lessons that
will help me throughout
my career. Some key
classes that stand
out are Public
Presentations,
Rhetoric,
and
Public
Relations.
The Public Presentations
course is probably the most
relevant and beneficial course
that any college student can take.
Public Relations was very beneficial for
me because the professor presented a
true look at the field and helped give
us the knowledge and experience to
apply what we learned to our future
careers. The Rhetoric courses that I have
Hope’s International Week
Organized by Communication Majors
By Professor Teresa Housel
Hope’s International Education Week,
which took place April 13-15, focused on
the theme, “Thinking Globally, Acting
Locally: Hunger, Housing and Human
Rights.”
The event featuring speakers and
panels was planned by Communication
majors Meghan Layman, Caroline
DeNooyer, and Claire DePree.
“As a group,” Layman said, “we would
like to create awareness, education and get
the students involved with international
education at Hope.”
– Meghan Layman, Hope Student
Layman said that the idea for the event
originated last semester in Dr. Johnston’s
Intercultural and Gender Communication
class. “We did it because we believe that
international education is very important
and Hope College needs to be better
aware of what is going on,” Layman said.
The three-day event included
panels that focused on study abroad
opportunities for students as well as
research panels. The activities culminated
with the screening of a film, “Crossing
Borders: The Secret Image of Migration
in a Globalized World,” in the Martha
Miller Center.
Layman said that students can get
involved in international issues in a
variety of ways, ranging from being aware
of international events to donating time
to an international cause.
“As a group,” Layman said, “we would
like to create awareness, education
and get the students involved with
international education at Hope.”
taken also lend themselves to my future
career in that they made me look at how
persuasion can be such a huge factor in
day-to-day interaction.
Ayannah Abiade: Each and every
communication course I took at Hope
helped me to prepare for the future, each
in its own unique way. Hope offers a wide
range of communication courses,
which teach essential job
skills like effective
oral
and
verbal
communication skills,
leadership skills, and
research skills. However, if
forced to identify just one
class, I would say that my
Intercultural and Gender
communication
course,
taught by Professor Johnston, best
prepared me for the immediate future.
In today’s world, we are moving more
towards a global economy; thus, I believe
it is essential to cultivate and develop the
skills needed to engage others in healthy
cross-cultural relations.
Upcoming Events
Hope College Commencement
Ceremony:
• 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 3; Holland Municipal Stadium. Baccalaureate will be held earlier in
the day, at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30
a.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
Communication Department
Graduation Reception:
• Sunday, May 3; Martha Miller
Center First Floor Rotunda
Have a Great Summer!
Communication majors participated in the National Conference
on Undergraduate Research. which was held April 16-18 at the
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse .
The Hope Communication students whose projects were presented include: Mary Davis. Amy Fisher, Laura Grimm, Abby Hoppen,
Samantha Molnar, Kristie Moote. Chris Lewis, and Erin Fortner.
Newsletter questions or comments? Contact Newsletter Editor James Ralston (Hope senior) at: james.ralston@hope.edu